Leadership lessons from the chairman of the board

Jim Poolman, UND Alumni Association & Foundation board chair, offers lessons in life and leadership as part of 18:83 Speaker Series

On Oct. 9, standing before an audience at the bottom of the Memorial Union Social Stairs, Jim Poolman, chairman of the board of directors at the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, delivered an 18-minute, 83-second speech sharing his perspective on leadership as part of the 18:83 Speaker Series.

A UND alumnus and 1992 student body president, Poolman followed his time at UND by becoming a politician, public servant and entrepreneur, having served as a North Dakota state representative, North Dakota insurance commissioner, and the executive director of the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council. In addition, Poolman is a prolific businessman and has invested in successful restaurants, pubs and real estate in North and South Dakota.

Despite his success in both the private and public sectors, Poolman had humble beginnings as a paperboy for the Fargo Forum, a job that inspired his entrepreneurial spirit. At the beginning of his talk, he reflected on his eclectic career path.

“I thought I’d put a tagline on this talk: from paperboy to politician and public servant to pub owner,” he said, with a smile. “The alliteration works, right?”

Throughout his talk, Poolman gave the audience an overview of his career and the unique lessons he’s learned. But it was his time as a UND student and student body president that set him on the path toward leadership, he said.

“Most of my lifelong lessons started here: the ability to gain leadership qualities, the ability to learn about business, but most of all, the ability to learn about people,” he said.

His eagerness to take advantage of different campus clubs, activities and learning experiences, such as student government, led to his growth at UND.

“UND gave me an opportunity to really reinvent myself from sort of this nerdy kid that was on the swim team … to somebody who could get involved in almost everything and provide value to those around me, and I had a fantastic time in doing that.”

As Poolman concluded his speech, he encouraged the audience to share in his gratitude for the University.

“Be grateful for your family, and be grateful for your friends, but also be grateful for what’s ahead of you,” he said. “I’m super grateful that you are part of this University of North Dakota community, and I’m incredibly grateful to be here with you today. You’re so lucky to be part of this great community.”

Watch Poolman’s full speech below:

Other key lessons in leadership from Jim Poolman

• Poolman shared that one of the most important lessons in leadership was the value of creating a trusted network of people whose skills compliments one’s own.

“My primary business partner is the brains behind our operation. He can squeeze blood out of a turnip, so to speak. He is the numbers guy. He is the accountant. He is the person that can put things together like I can never put together. I tell people I’m the vision guy and he’s the brains behind the operation… If you surround yourself with people with different attributes than you have, then you make one hell of a team.”

• Poolman said that his time as a public servant and entrepreneur has shown him the importance of engaging with communities.

“Everybody’s definition of community is different. It might be the town you live in or the town you grew up in; it might be UND; it might be a fraternity or sorority or a club that you’re involved in. It’s important to rely on that community for support, especially in the business world. If you’re ignoring the community that you’re involved in, why would you expect them to support you?”

• Poolman’s career has also shown him the value of humility. Specifically, he said that kindness can open doors in the future.

“I run into employers right now, insurance companies across the country, who say ‘We have a ‘no jerk’ policy: we don’t hire jerks. If they come and they are jerks, we get rid of them.’ … I’ve been a jerk at times, so learn from my mistakes in politics and business: you get far more with honey than you do with vinegar. Treating people with respect and kindness and showing the ability to learn from them — and they know you’re learning from them — eliminates the jerk factor.”

• Poolman, who also founded the Poolman Leadership Academy at UND, said that philanthropy is one of the greatest joys of his career.

“Giving back is essential … You don’t have to be 54 years old to give back, and you don’t have to give money. You can give your time, your talent and your treasure in other ways. And if people know that you’re giving back, they’re going to support you, and I can’t stress that enough, And, I gotta tell you, it gives me and others that I work with a hell of a lot of joy to give back and to see you impacting somebody else’s life by giving back.”

>> View upcoming speakers and watch past speeches on the 18:83 Speaker Series webpage.